Enraged over a dialogue about his father and iconic singer Mohammad Rafi in Karan Johar's latest Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, Shahid Rafi has demanded a public apology from the filmmaker and has asked him to delete the sequence.

Ae Dil Hai Mushkil

In the recently released romantic-drama, Ranbir Kapoor's character, aspiring singer Ayan, tells Anushka Sharma (playing Alizeh), that many people have said his voice is like Rafi, to which, Sharma says, "Mohammad Rafi? Woh gaate kam, rote zyada the na?"

Shahid says he did not expect a filmmaker like Johar to pass such a line under his watch and feels the damage has already been done.

"Karan Johar is a great filmmaker, I don't know how he used this line. He should have thought about it as he is the director. I did not expect this from Karan. I am ashamed of him, he is supposed to be a good director," Shahid told PTI.

"I saw the clipping. I haven't seen the film, so let me see the film first then I will think what to do. But a public apology (from Johar) is appreciated, and also removal of the scene. Although the damage is done. Let's see what he (Karan) can do from his side," he added.

Shahid says he got to know about the dialogue through Rafi's fans and was deeply saddened by it.

"I am deeply hurt about the dialogue. I came to know that the dialogue doesn't take the story backward or forward. People have often mentioned or spoken about my father in films or in general in good way, then why all of a sudden this dialogue and this controversy."

"It (the dialogue) is not good. My father is a versatile singer, he has sung love songs, sad songs, bhajan etc. Niranjan wrote the dialogue and it seems he doesn't know anything about my father. What image (of Rafi) is he trying to put in front of the youth?

"Even after more than 36 years, people still remember my father, he is a legend. So many shows take place in his memory.. he has huge fan following. He (Niranjan) doesn't know what he is doing."

Shahid said he is yet to talk to Johar regarding the issue.

Other than Shahid, several other Rafi fans have also refused to let the joke pass.

Among them was musician Sonu Nigam, who told Mid-Day in an interview: "Indians were known for something called adab; that is history now. If one is okay with a similar joke on their father, there is no issue. But you are aware that a word against one's father's achievements boils their blood [sic]. Rafi saab is a musical father to me and many others. How can the sons be okay with this disrespect?"

Another vocal critic was Goa’s director general of police Muktesh Chander, who appealed that people boycott Ae Dil Hai Mushkil for its 'insult' to Rafi saab.

“Md Rafi was one of the greatest singers of India and needs no certificate from anyone. If you are a Rafi fan, boycott this movie,” Chander tweeted on Wednesday, 2 November.

Interestingly, the title of the Ranbir Kapoor-starrer also comes from the opening verse of the popular song "Ai Dil Hai Mushkil Jeena Yahaan", which was sung by Rafi for the 1956 film C.I.D.

The legendary singer, who died in 1980, also sang for the first Dharma Productions film, Dostana which was directed by Yash Johar.